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New TV on Freeview This Week

The clocks have gone back, the nights are drawing in, and you may have noticed yourself feeling just a little bit gloomy about it all. The cure? A night in on the sofa of course!

This week, there’s a whole host of new TV shows that are all about that feel-good factor. Wacky gameshows, uplifting reality shows, documentaries that whisk you away to unique and interesting places, and the very best in sitcom. Here are just some of the amazing shows guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Don’t Say It, Bring ItDaveMonday 13 November 2017 at 7pm

Hosted by Irish comedian Jason Byrne, this new gameshow challenges participants not to say the answer to questions, but to bring him the answer instead. Whether that’s a lighter, a scarf or a pogo stick, participants must frantically run around the streets, coaxing items from confused members of the public.

If you’re about in Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh or Newcastle then watch out, if you spot an energetic Irishman with a loudspeaker, you may get your chance to win cash prizes (and possibly make a fool of yourself on national TV!)

Gone to Pot: American Road TripITVMonday 13 November 2017 at 9pm

Ever wondered about the benefits of medicinal marijuana?

This new reality/documentary series explores this very issue. However, instead of Louis Theroux or Trevor MacDonald, this show brings together a group of celebs, including Birds of a Feather’s Linda Robson, ex-EastEnders star Pam St Clement, and actor Christopher Biggins.

Although very funny, there is a serious side to the show. Each of the celebs has their own health conditions which could be helped by marijuana use. In San Francisco– where marijuana can be legally purchased – they investigate the pros and cons and listen to the experiences of users.

However, the entertainment value is always there – it’s hard not to be when the celebs are rolling around in a psychedelic bus and sharing a joint with some nuns!

Jo Brand’s Cats & KittensChannel 5Tuesday 14 November 2017 at 8pm

Comedian Jo Brand shows her softer side by following vets, RSPCA inspectors and volunteers, as they help to save the nation’s cats and kittens.

In this first episode, Jo pitches in to help a kitten who has fallen four floors from a balcony, whilst welfare officer Matt tries to rescue a cat stuck in a chimney. And although it’s always sad to see an animal in distress, seeing them return home or find a new family will instantly make you feel better about the world.

MotherlandBBC TwoTuesday 14 November 2017 at 10pm

Created by Sharon Horgan (the genius behind Catastrophe) and comedy legend Graham Linehan (the man behind The IT Crowd and Father Ted), Motherland explores the trials and traumas of middle-class parenting, where organising birthday parties are a matter of life and death. Acutely well observed and with some wonderful performances from Anna Maxwell Martin and Diane Morgan (whose character is always there to say it how it is), this is the perfect sitcom for helping you find the funny in the everyday anxieties of life.

Tune in this Tuesday night or catch-up via the BBC iPlayer.

100% HotterChannel 5Wednesday 15 November 2017 at 7pm

Now in its third series, 100 Per Cent Hotter is back on our screens and helping provide inspirational make-unders. Guests often have a look that can stop traffic. But the shows’ three stylists not only change the guests on the outside, they also help them understand themselves on the inside. At the end of each episode, guests get a glimmer of what their lives could be like – we get plenty of fun and laughs along the way as we follow their transformation.

DetectoristsBBC Four
Wednesday 15 November 2017 at 10pm

Now in its final series, Detectorists is a critically acclaimed comedy-drama about two friends and their trusted metal detectors, who are always on the hunt for buried treasure (or Vimto bottle caps from 1984).

With its wonderful cast (Toby Jones and MacKenzie Crook), gentle wit, and engaging storylines, this is a must-see for anyone that loves to see middle-aged men banter in a field. Their imaginary dinner party debate – including the reason why Stephen Fry wouldn’t be invited – is well worth a watch.

You can catch up on the first episode on BBC iPlayer, and watch episode two on Wednesday night.

Peaky BlindersBBC TwoWednesday 15 November 2017 at 9pm

We’ll level with you, there’s little comedy factor in an episode of Peaky Blinders. But the gripping crime drama set in 1920’s post-war Birmingham is too good not to mention. The new series opens with a row of nooses – a foreshadowing of the violence that has become emblematic of the series.

However, to keep you in a positive frame of mind, we do suggest following this gangland drama with a good dose of comedy!

Ireland with Simon ReeveBBC TwoWednesday 15 November 2017 at 11:15pm

Having returned from the Siberian wilderness, Simon Reeve heads on a journey a little closer to home. In this two-part documentary, Simon travels up the beautiful west coast of Ireland. From a farmer enthusiastic about robotic milking to activists who believe in fairies’, this documentary reveals a very different side to Ireland.